Kate Bush wows crowds at comeback gig

The Wuthering Heights star kicked off her 22-date stint at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, the venue where she effectively retired from live performances after six weeks on the road in 1979.Taking the stage in all-black, Bush told fans: "We have purposefully chosen an intimate theatre setting rather than a large venue or stadium. It would mean a great deal to me if you would please refrain from taking photos or filming during the shows."I very much want to have contact with you as an audience, not with iPhones, iPads or cameras. I know it's a lot to ask but it would allow us to all share in the experience together."Critics were resounding in their praise of the singer on Wednesday, with Andy Gill, for the Independent, giving her a five-star review. "It's quite stunning, undoubtedly the most ambitious, and genuinely moving, piece of theatrical pop ever seen on a British stage," he said.I'm going to be thinking about #KateBush for a LONG time. Too much to say about it for Twitter. Such a wonderful mix - intimate, adventurous— Lauren Laverne (@laurenlaverne) August 27, 2014Alexis Petridis, writing for the Guardian, said the singer delivered a "spectacular" show. "Bush theoretically had a lot to lose by returning to the stage," he wrote."Clearly, given how tightly she has controlled her own career since the early 80s, she would only have bothered because she felt she had something spectacular to offer. She was right: Before The Dawn is another remarkable achievement."More than 80,000 tickets for her comeback gigs sold out in less than 15 minutes after they were announced in March, with some advertised for up to £1,000.Among the famous faces in the crowd were Lily Allen, Gemma Arterton and Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, who spotted her talent as a teenager.Basically YOUR MUM came back and schooled everyone in how to be a pop star. EVERYONE. #katebush— Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) August 27, 2014Bush, a doctor's daughter from Kent, was just 20 when she completed The Tour Of Life with three dates at what was then called the Hammersmith Odeon.She had topped the charts with Wuthering Heights the previous year, becoming the first woman to go to number one singing one of her own songs.It has been revealed that her records are again climbing the charts.Sales figures from the Official Charts Company showed that all nine studio albums and two compilations have been given a sales boost by the gigs.At Kate Bush #beforethedawn. Magnificent, beautiful, vulnerable. And the love in the air here is just fantastic. What a night.— Derren Brown (@DerrenBrown) August 26, 2014